I am still thinking about this sandwich a week later!…read more This place was tucked away down a back street. I ordered a sandwich for takeaway, and it took less than 10 minutes to toast to perfection. I checked out the upstairs seating while I waited. It was cozy and there was ample seating (see picture). My sweet onion and melted cheese toastie was so good!! I ate it hot, while walking around town. It was a bit of a mess but totally worth it.

From the owner: Pistachio & Pickle Dairy is a independent Artisan Cheese shop in Islington. We specialise in…read moreBritish cheese, celebration cheese wedding cake, cheese platters & fine wines. Our Parlour is open at weekends where you can sit with a cheeseboard and glass of wine.

Well I've mentioned before how much I love a gourmet butcher, and James Elliott is just that…read more Welcomed by a beautiful awning and ye-olde-school signage, venture inside and it's a welcome treat from the rows of artificially-grown 'meat' at Tesco. The thing about gourmet butchers is they just don't smell like regular butchers. You know, that over-awing smell that, when hungover, you can't even walk past such a butcher without runniing for the nearest bin. James Elliott smells great (for a butcher!), and has such an impressive selection of free-range and organic meats, all beautifully presented. Staff are so helpful, always happy to help you with cooking times, suggested sides to complement a particular cut of meat, etc. Yes, butchers of this calibre are more expensive than cheaper butchers, but really only buy a couple of quid, which I think is well worth it. No argument at all.

Alongside excellent service from the very nice staff, this butchers offers an excellent variety of…read moremeat, sausages, poultry, prepared meals, etc. Our couscous, tajines, lasagna are among the tastiest we ever cooked (says my mother-in-law from Morocco...). Sorry to hear Robyn A.'s comments, but it seems quite odd that we're talking about the same place though...

I look forward to going to their stand at Chapel Market. When I discovered there was an actual…read morerestaurant I was so very excited!! I love the soup and their panini's are delicious!!

This is a charming little café and deli in a bit of a foodie desert (i.e. away from the crowds of…read moreIslington's Upper Street). Good coffee, delicious sandwiches and cakes, friendly and efficient service (the owner has been in the business for ages and is very knowledgeable and welcoming). Last but not least, the products on offer (mostly French cheese, charcuterie, but also non-perishables such as preserves and oils) are of terrific quality and excellent value. They are definitely not your usual run-of-the-mill 'French' products, but sourced with great care. My colleagues (in W1) have asked me where I got my flavoured olive oil spray bottles (very handy at work!) and I tell them to go to Islington!

Steve Hatt is excellent. Extremely friendly staff, good selection of quality fish, fairly priced…read more We almost never looked elsewhere for fish.

Awful! Two things I purchased here were ROTTEN. Broke open eggs I purchased-- they REEKED…read more Revolting. And then two packages of cooked beets I purchased looked off... strange coloring and mushy. They were over 2 months expired, and still on the shelves! Horrible.

'Planet Organic' sums up everything I find awkward about the growing breed of organic boutique food…read moreshops. While the entrance of the shop is littered with beautifully misshapen, British grown, mud-strewn vegetables, stray much further and the whole environment becomes very clinical. Line after line of jars and boxes offering stir-fry sauces, jam's and sushi sets point eerily in the same direction. Even the deli counter at the back offering its selection of organic 'ready meals' displays its food on black charcoal slates in perfectly straight lines. As a whole the food I've bought has been quite nice but not worth the prices that they charge. Maybe my ideas are too romantic but if I'm looking to buy British and Organic, I anticipate a bit of rustic charm. It's this element that is severely lacking in Planet Organic. This is not a shop that invites you to spend any length of time, if you're in for more than five minutes you'll feel like you're messing up the place!

Nice fishmonger around the high street in Islington. I bought a squeed, and it was fresh and…read moredelicious.

Convenient location near Angel station sits this fishmonger shop. If you walk by the fish smell is…read morenot so strong so that's a good thing because that means the fish is fresh. It is super cheap seafood but for the quality and quantity it actually a better place to get fish than usual supermarkets. The seafood is so fresh that I actually saw the razor clams moving and the best was when I saw a lobster walking around. I think it was thinking that I was gonna eat it.

Great family run business. Good quality reasonably priced stock. Friendly and welcoming staff.read more

This family run butcher shop is conveniently located near Angel station in the heart of Islington…read more This shop gets their meat sourced from Smithfields Meat Market, so if you like to get fresh meat but can't go to Smithfields in the early mornings this shop is a great alternative. They offer great deals on meat and eggs. It's £1.89 for a dozen large eggs, at shops like Sainsbury it cost £1.63 for only 6 eggs. They always seem to have various cuts of meats throughout the year but if you want something in particular it is best if you order it a week beforehand just to make sure that it will be there. If you are looking for beef ribs this place has got it. I have even ordered my Canadian Thanksgiving turkey from here twice now and they have always pulled through for me.

I held my best Birthday Party ever at Ocean! When I arrived the lovely Ocean family had set up…read moredecorations and balloons, they were playing authentic Chinese music. The hot pot tables were prepared beautifully, with a fortune cookie for everyone! We sat down and were served the most heart warming food, it was so fresh and there was such a variety. It was prepared lovingly! It is also a very fun and interactive way of eating dinner with friends. We then sang songs on the karaoke speaker and microphone all night long - I was gifted thoughtful presents, a card, and cake from the Ocean family. They went above and beyond. I felt so lucky. Everyone was even given a pair of earrings - that we will have forever. I can not recommend enough!

What a lifesaver, this Ocean Market…read more Its dedicated instant noodle section is sure to be a hit with the (predominantly Chinese, it appears) UCL crowd whose dorm is just up the block. Aisles are lined with all the frozen bits one needs to host a rippin' hot pot session. It's like a slice of Chinatown in the middle of Islington. There's even a wall of assorted imported beverages from parts of Asia, ranging from Pocari Sweat concentrates down to bottled aloe drinks. Don't even get me started on their wall of chilli and ready-to-eat steamed buns - amazing.

When I initially read about Market Garden, I assumed it would be a wee bit cheaper than the high…read morestreet chains. Not 'ohmygod.must.shop.here.always' cheaper. But in all seriousness, I must shop here. Always. Five Braeburn apples for £1. Large bags of fresh rosemary, basil, thyme, parsley for £1. A 1lb of carrots for .40p, potatoes for .35/lb (that's half of what the big store down the street charges)! The selection was relatively large and the quality was beautiful. I was in heaven. I must digress that in the same way I am confused on why babies are weighed in lbs, but adults are weighed in stones/kg, (and that you drive in MPH), I'm not sure why veggies are weighed by the lb. But I'm not complaining. That way I can literally buy my body weight in veg from Market Garden. And still have money for the pub next door.

The Market Garden has a great stock of fresh fruit and vegetables that are fresher than the…read moresupermarkets and a bit cheaper too. I sometimes pick up some fruit from here to enjoy in the park at Islington Green on a sunny day. There is a large range of organic produce as well. Its the only fruit and veg market of its kind in Islington, and its always busy as its cheaper than the supermarkets. Its great for local residents, who always have fresh supplies of groceries on hand, and at reasonable rates too. I hate going to supermarkets now, so I'm utterly spoiled by all the wonderful little grocery stores in London.